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Remploy workers take factory fight to Coalition’s front door

Remploy workers are taking their fight to save their jobs to the London constituency of Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith (Pictured: Remploy workers blockade DWP offices, Westminster, April 2012)

Remploy workers are taking the fight to save their jobs to ‘the backyard’ of Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith today.

(Pictured: Remploy workers march on Westminster, April 2012)

Workers from across London will be travelling to the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency of Mr Duncan Smith in a bid to stop the closure of 54 Remploy factories, which union campaigners say will result in more than 1,500 workers, many of them with disabilities, being forced out of work.

In a bid to ‘shame’ Iain Duncan Smith, Unite has taken out an advert in the local paper and a billboard advertisement at Chingford station to alert constituents to what their MP is doing.

The demonstration comes ahead of the first factory closures scheduled for early next month and follows recent positive figures from Remploy which revealed sales have risen 12.2% to £14m over the previous 12 months.

In a letter to the Pensions Secretary, Unite national officer for the not-for-profit sector, Sally Kosky writes: “You say you want disabled people in mainstream employment, yet you have no idea of the bullying and harassment many of them have faced before finding a safe haven within Remploy.

“In previous employment, many current Remploy workers reported they were abused, both verbally and physically, with one colleague being set on fire.”

GMB national officer, Phil Davies said: “Iain Duncan Smith’s actions will wreck disabled people’s lives and be a serious blow to their sense of independence and their ability to pay their way.”

Unite says more than 10,000 members have emailed Iain Duncan Smith protesting at the decision to close the 54 Remploy factories.